Acceptable Use Policy

Last Updated: February 2, 2026

1. Introduction

This Acceptable Use Policy ("Policy") governs your use of BizMark ("Platform," "we," "us," or "our"). This Policy is incorporated into and forms part of our Terms of Service.

By using the Platform, you agree to comply with this Policy. Violation of this Policy may result in suspension or termination of your account and may expose you to civil and criminal liability.

2. Prohibited Activities

You may not use the Platform to engage in any of the following activities:

2.1 Fraudulent or Deceptive Practices

You may not:
- Post false, misleading, or fraudulent business listings
- Misrepresent financial information, business performance, or assets
- Inflate revenue, profit, or valuation figures
- Conceal material defects or liabilities
- Use fake identities or impersonate others
- Create multiple accounts to manipulate the Platform
- Submit fake inquiries or reviews
- Engage in any form of fraud or deception

2.2 Illegal Activities

You may not:
- Use the Platform for any illegal purpose
- List businesses involved in illegal activities
- Facilitate money laundering or tax evasion
- Violate securities laws or regulations
- Infringe intellectual property rights
- Violate export control or sanctions laws
- Engage in insider trading
- Violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law

2.3 Harmful or Abusive Conduct

You may not:
- Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
- Post defamatory, libelous, or slanderous content
- Discriminate based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics
- Bully or engage in hate speech
- Post violent or graphic content
- Exploit or harm minors
- Engage in stalking or doxxing (publishing private information)

2.4 Spam and Unsolicited Communications

You may not:
- Send spam or unsolicited commercial messages
- Post duplicate or repetitive listings
- Engage in mass messaging or automated messaging
- Advertise unrelated products or services
- Use the Platform to harvest email addresses or contact information
- Send phishing emails or malicious links

2.5 Security Violations

You may not:
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or networks
- Distribute viruses, malware, or harmful code
- Conduct denial-of-service attacks
- Probe, scan, or test vulnerabilities without permission
- Bypass security measures or authentication systems
- Access or use another user's account without permission
- Share your account credentials with others

2.6 Platform Manipulation

You may not:
- Manipulate search rankings or visibility
- Create fake accounts to inflate metrics
- Use bots, scripts, or automated tools without permission
- Scrape or harvest data from the Platform
- Reverse engineer or decompile Platform software
- Interfere with Platform operations or infrastructure
- Circumvent usage limits or restrictions

2.7 Intellectual Property Violations

You may not:
- Post content that infringes copyrights, trademarks, or patents
- Use others' business names, logos, or branding without permission
- Copy or plagiarize content from other listings or websites
- Violate trade secrets or confidential information
- Use Platform content without proper attribution or license

2.8 Inappropriate Content

You may not post content that:
- Is pornographic, sexually explicit, or obscene
- Promotes violence or self-harm
- Contains hate speech or discriminatory language
- Is excessively profane or offensive
- Promotes illegal drugs or controlled substances
- Depicts or promotes animal cruelty
- Violates community standards of decency

2.9 Misuse of Platform Features

You may not:
- Abuse the inquiry or messaging system
- Submit frivolous or bad-faith inquiries
- Waste sellers' time with no genuine interest
- Use verification services fraudulently
- Abuse refund or dispute processes
- Create listings with no intention to sell
- Manipulate analytics or tracking systems

2.10 Competitive Intelligence Gathering

You may not:
- Use the Platform solely to gather competitive intelligence
- Copy business models or strategies from listings
- Extract data for use by competing platforms
- Contact sellers to recruit them to other platforms
- Use listing information for purposes other than evaluating purchases

3. Business Listing Standards

3.1 Accuracy Requirements

All business listings must:
- Contain accurate and truthful information
- Be based on verifiable documentation
- Disclose all material facts
- Update information when circumstances change
- Not omit information that would affect a buyer's decision

3.2 Prohibited Listings

You may not list businesses that:
- Are involved in illegal activities
- Violate intellectual property rights
- Are pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing scams
- Sell illegal products or services
- Operate without proper licenses or permits
- Have undisclosed liens, debts, or legal issues
- Do not actually exist or are not for sale

3.3 Content Standards

Listing content must:
- Be written in clear, professional language
- Not contain excessive profanity or offensive language
- Include accurate photos (if provided)
- Not use misleading or clickbait titles
- Comply with advertising and marketing laws

4. Communication Standards

4.1 Professional Conduct

All communications on the Platform must:
- Be respectful and professional
- Stay relevant to business transactions
- Not contain spam or solicitations
- Respect confidentiality agreements
- Comply with applicable laws

4.2 Prohibited Communications

You may not send messages that:
- Harass or threaten recipients
- Contain malicious links or attachments
- Request personal financial information
- Attempt to move transactions off-platform to avoid fees
- Violate non-disclosure agreements

5. Confidentiality and Privacy

5.1 Respecting Confidentiality

You must:
- Respect the confidentiality of business information shared with you
- Not disclose sensitive business information to third parties
- Honor non-disclosure agreements
- Use information only for evaluating potential purchases

5.2 Protecting Privacy

You must:
- Not share other users' personal information without consent
- Respect privacy settings and preferences
- Not use Platform data for purposes outside the Platform
- Comply with data protection laws

6. Payment and Financial Conduct

6.1 Honest Transactions

You must:
- Pay all fees owed to the Platform
- Not engage in payment fraud or chargebacks abuse
- Provide accurate payment information
- Not use stolen or unauthorized payment methods

6.2 Prohibited Financial Conduct

You may not:
- Attempt to avoid or evade fees
- Use the Platform to launder money
- Engage in financial fraud
- Make false claims to obtain refunds

7. Enforcement

7.1 Violation Consequences

Violations of this Policy may result in:
- Warning or notice of violation
- Temporary suspension of account
- Permanent termination of account
- Removal of content or listings
- Loss of Premium features or benefits
- Forfeiture of fees paid
- Legal action and liability for damages

7.2 Investigation

We reserve the right to:
- Investigate suspected violations
- Cooperate with law enforcement
- Disclose information as required by law
- Take any action we deem necessary to protect the Platform and users

7.3 Appeals

If your account is suspended or terminated, you may appeal by contacting us with an explanation. We will review appeals on a case-by-case basis but are not obligated to reinstate accounts.

8. Reporting Violations

8.1 How to Report

If you become aware of violations of this Policy, please report them to us immediately:

Email: [Your contact email - to be added]
Subject Line: "Acceptable Use Policy Violation Report"

Include:
- Description of the violation
- Username or listing involved
- Screenshots or evidence (if available)
- Date and time of occurrence

8.2 Our Response

We will:
- Review all reports promptly
- Investigate credible allegations
- Take appropriate action
- Maintain confidentiality of reporters when possible

We may not be able to provide details about actions taken due to privacy considerations.

8.3 False Reports

Submitting false or malicious reports is itself a violation of this Policy and may result in account termination.

9. User Responsibility

You are responsible for:
- Understanding and complying with this Policy
- Monitoring your account activity
- Reporting violations you observe
- Ensuring your content complies with all applicable laws
- Conducting due diligence before business transactions

10. Platform Rights

We reserve the right to:
- Remove content that violates this Policy
- Suspend or terminate accounts without notice
- Modify this Policy at any time
- Refuse service to anyone for any reason
- Take any action necessary to protect the Platform and users

11. No Liability for User Conduct

We are not responsible for:
- User conduct or content
- Violations of this Policy by users
- Disputes between users
- Damages arising from user violations
- Third-party actions or content

Users who violate this Policy are solely liable for their actions and any resulting damages.

12. Cooperation with Authorities

We will cooperate with:
- Law enforcement investigations
- Court orders and subpoenas
- Regulatory inquiries
- Legal proceedings

We may disclose user information as required or permitted by law.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

Material changes will be communicated through:
- Email notification
- Platform announcements
- Updated "Last Updated" date

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Acceptable Use Policy, please contact us:

Email: [Your contact email - to be added]
Address: [Your business address - to be added]

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By using BizMark, you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy. Violations may result in account termination and legal liability.